Mechanism for handling and testing containers



Aug. 26, 1969 A. w. FRANK MECHANISM FOR HANDLING AND TESTING CONTAINERS8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June 29, 1965 INVENTOR Alon LW, Frank 6,1969 A L (N. FRANK 3,462,996

'MECHANISM FOR HANDLING AND TESTING CONTAINERS Original Filed June 29,1965 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 w a M.

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MECHANISM 'FOR HANDLING AND TESTING CONTAINERS Original Filed June 29,1965 s Sheets-Sheet 5 V INVENTOR 2? Alan IW Frank ,zwiw

MECHANISM FOR HANDLING AND TESTING CONTAINERS Original Filed June 29,1965 Aug. 26, 1969 A. W; FRANK s Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Alan I W FrankAug. 26, 1969 'A.-l. w. FRANK 3,462,996

MECHANISM FOR HANDLING AND TESTING CONTAINERS Original Filed June 29,1965 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.l0.

INVENTOR Alan I W Frank Aug. 26, 1969 A. w. FRANK 3,462,996

MECHANISM FOR HANDLING AND TESTING CONTAINERS Original Filed June 29.1965 8 Shets-Sheet 6 Fig.l2. 98

INVENTOR g Alan I W Frank u /7 fa% Aug. 26, 1969 A. l. w. FRANK3,462,996

MECHANISM FOR HANDLING AND TESTING CONTAINERS 8 Sheets-Shae t '7Original Filed June 29. 1965 a 7 m m v INVENTOR Alan I W Frank 2/ a (QQQQ M 42 Fig Aug. 26, 1969 A. I. w. FRANK 3,462,996

MECHANISM FOR HANDLING AND TESTING CONTAINERS 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 OriginalFiled June 29, 1965 INVENTOR Alan W Frank United States Patent 3,462,996MECHANISM FOR HANDLING AND TESTING CONTAINERS Alan I W Frank,Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to The Alan I W Frank Corporation, Pittsburgh,Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application June 29, 1965,Ser. No. 468,005, now Patent No. 3,351,388, dated Nov. 7, 1967. Dividedand this application Apr. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 558,525

Int. Cl. Gtllm 3/04 US. Cl. 73-453 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREVacuum testing mechanism for containers open at one end and closed atthe other end comprising a testing element having a container receivingmember to which a container being tested is applied, the containerreceiving member being shaped to provide space between it and thecontainer, means for exhausting air from the space between the containerreceiving member and the container to cause the container to remainapplied to the container receiving member by vacuum if the container isfree from leaks and means acting only a predetermined time after air hasbeen exhausted from the space between the container receiving member andthe container for applying a counterforce of sufiicient magnitude toseparate the container from the container receiving member if thecontainer has a leak.

This application is a division of my copending application Ser. No.468,005, filed June 29, 1965.

This invention relates to mechanism for handling and testing containers.It involves mechanism for orienting, stacking and testing containers,including separating containers free from leaks from those having leaks,and delivering the containers free from leaks in relative arrangementfor packaging in groups.

While in certain of its aspects the invention has wide application Ihave found it to have especial utility in the handling and testing oflight weight containers such as those molded out of plastic materialsuch as polystyrene. The invention is of course equally adapted forhandling and testing paper containers or those made out of othermaterials.

Portions of the mechanism are especially adapted for handling containershaving a greater external transverse dimension at one end than at theopposite end which are open at the larger end and closed at the smallerend. An example is a tapered container such as a drinking cup orpackaging container, although containers of nontapered form with anexternal bead or flange at the open end may be handled.

For purposes of explanation and illustration I shall describe mymechanism as adapted for the handling and testing of tapered cups moldedout of expandable polystyrene beads. Such beads are molded into taperedcups under heat and pressure as known to those skilled in the art. Themolding is accomplished in molds having separable parts and at theconclusion of each molding cycle the parts are separated and the moldedcups ejected. The cups may be ejected in various ways, as, for example,by air blast.

My apparatus is designed for use in a plant in which cups are deliveredto a generally horizontal conveyor at locations alongside the conveyor.When cups molded out of expandable polystyrene beads are to be handledsuch cups may be delivered to the conveyor from molding machinesdisposed alongside the conveyor at one or both sides of the conveyor andranged along the conveyor throughout any convenient distance. Forexample, each 'ice molding machine may contain four molds and thusproduce four cups per cycle. There may be any number of molding machinesranged along the conveyor at each side thereof.

The cups delivered to the conveyor from the molding machines aredelivered helter-skelter and may fall upon the conveyor in anyorientation. I provide for advancing the cups and while advancing themuniformly orienting them. The cups are advanced to a removing stationwhere they are removed from the conveyor and stacked. Prior to removalthe cups are desirably acted on to facilitate their removal from theconveyor.

The stack of cups is used for feeding testing mechanism. The stack maybe advanced toward the testing mechanism and cups fed one by one fromthe stack to the testing mechanism as the stack advances. The cupsadvancing to the stack may move through a tube of generally U shape,first upwardly, then generally horizontally and finally downwardly. Ipreferably provide means for interrupting the delivery of cups to thestack when the height of the stack exceeds a maximum predeterminedheight to prevent the cups at the top of the stack from binding in theelbow of the tube. Means are provided for preventing feeding of c-upsfrom the stack when the height of the stack becomes less than a minimumpredetermined height until the stack builds up to a normal predeterminedheight.

Each cup is carried for testing by a receiving member which may be amandrel over which the cup is positioned, or the member may have acavity within which the cup is received. In either case space isprovided between the receiving member and the cup and I provide forexhausting air from the space first to firmly seat the cup and second totest the cup for leaks. The receiving member carrying the cup preferablymoves to a position in which the cup tends to drop away from thereceiving member but if the cup is free from leaks it is held to thereceiving member by the vacuum. A- cup having a leak is not held byvacuum to the receiving member since the vacuum is dissipated throughthe leak so the cup tends to drop from the receiving member. To avoid acup sticking to the receiving member even after dissipation of thevacuum through a leak in the cup I preferably provide means acting onthe cup urging it to drop from the receiving member but with a forceless than the vacuum force tending to hold a cup free from leaks to thereceiving member. Thus a cup which is free from leaks remains on thereceiving member while one which has a leak is separated from thereceiving member. The cups having leaks are delivered to scrap.

The cups which are free from leaks are delivered to a receiving stationwhere they are nested. Means including a counter are employed toseparate the cups into groups of predetermined numbers for packaging.The groups of nested cups may be delivered either endwise ortransversely.

Other details, objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent as the following description of certain present preferredembodiments thereof proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown certain present preferredembodiments of the invention in which FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary sideelevational view illustrating purely diagrammatically machines formolding cups ranged alongside a generally horizontal conveyor onto whichthe cups are delivered from the molding machines in helter skelterfashion, i.e., with no uniformity or relationship of orientation, thecups being conveyed by the conveyor toward the right;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of another portion of mymechanism including a continuation of the generally horizontal conveyorshown in FIG- URE 1 and showing, among other things, how the cups areuniformly oriented by that conveyor and means for removing the cups fromthe generally horizontal conveyor;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a further portion ofmy mechanism in which the cups removed from the conveyor are stacked,delivered from the stack one by one to a testing station, tested toseparate the cups free from leaks from those having leaks and the cupsfree from leaks delivered, counted, nested and dis charged in groupseach containing a predetermined number of cups;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view partly in horizontal cross section and withportions omitted for clarity of the structure shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line VIVI ofFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line VIIVII ofFIGURE 2;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary detail view in vertical cross sectionillustrating the means for removing the cups from the conveyor;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary detail plan view of the feeder for feeding thecups from the stack one by one to the testing station;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view taken on theline X--X of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view taken on theline XIXI of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view showing a cupon a mandrel at the testing station, the cup being shown as applied tothe mandrel;

FIGURE 13 is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical crosssection showing a cup on a mandrel in position to drop off of themandrel if the cup contains a leak and illustrating a weight bearingagainst the rim of the cup to obviate on the mandrel of a cup containinga leak;

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view showing amodified form of mandrel;

FIGURE 15 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view showing thereceiving member as having a cavity in which the cup is disposed;

FIGURE 16 is an exploded isometric view of the mechanism for connectingthe respective mandrels with a source of vacuum;

FIGURE 17 is a face view of the left hand circular element of FIGURE 16as viewed from the right in FIG- URE 16;

FIGURE 18 is an axial cross-sectional view through the mechanism shownin FIGURE 16 when such mechanism is collapsed with the parts in theirnormal cooperative relationship;

FIGURE 19 is a fragmentary elevational view with portions cut away ofthe mechanism for receiving from the testing mechanism the cups whichare free from leaks and delivering those cups in nested arrangement witha predetermined number of cups in each group;

FIGURE 20 is a fragmentary plan view with portions cut away of part ofthe structure shown in FIGURE 19 taken on the line XXXX of FIGURE 19;

FIGURE 21 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line XXIXXI ofFIGURE 19 FIGURE 22 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a modifiedform of mechanism for delivering groups of nested cups;

FIGURE 23 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the lineXXIIIXXIII of FIGURE 22;

FIGURE 24 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line XXIV-XXIV ofFIGURE 2.2; and

FIGURE 25 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the mechanism shownin FIGURE 22 but with the cup delivering means open to deliver a stackof nested cups.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 2designates generally a straight horizontal conveyor of considerablelength. The conveyor is carried by a mounting structure 3 and comprisestwo spaced apart parallel endless belts 4 driven by a pulley 5. Thedirection of effective movement of the conveyor is as indicated by thearrows, i.e., from left to right in FIG- URES 1, 2 and 4. It is to beunderstood that FIGURES l, 2 and 3 together illustrate my mechanism inelevation, FIGURE 1 showing a portion of the left hand end of theconveyor 2 and FIGURE 2 showing the right hand end of the conveyor 2.The mechanism shown in FIG- URE 3 is a continuation toward the rightfrom what is shown in FIGURE 2.

The pulley 5 is fixed to shaft 6 which is driven in the clockwisedirection viewing FIGURE 2 by any suit able driving means such as anelectric motor 6a with appropriate reduction gearing 6b and an endlessdriving element 60 such as a sprocket chain meshing with sprockets fixedto the output shaft of the reduction gearing 6b and the shaft 6. Theupper reach of the conveyor 2 is the active reach, the conveyor belts 4at the upper reach being supported upon angles 7 forming part of themounting structure 3. The mounting structure 3 also includes rollers 8rotatably supporting and guiding the lower return reach of the conveyor.Also carried by the mounting structure 3 are upwardly and outwardlyinclined generally planar cup receiving and guiding elements which asclearly shown in FIGURES 6 and 7 form in effect a trough 9 extendingalong the upper reach of the conveyor 2 having a central longitudinalopening 9a which is somewhat wider than the space between the inneredges of the belts 4.

Ranged alongside the conveyor 2 are molding machines designatedgenerally by reference numeral 10 in which cups of expandablepolystyrene beads are molded. The molding machines may be conventional.Any desired number of them may be disposed at each side of the conveyor.They are positioned relatively to the conveyor so that at the conclusionof each molding cycle in each molding machine the cups molded thereinare ejected from the molds into the trough 9. FIGURE 6 illustratesdiagrammatically one of the molding machines 10 with the mold partsseparated showing a cup falling into the trough. While the moldingmachines 10 which are diagrammatically illustrated are shown as havingfour molds each any number of molds may be included in each moldingmachine just as the number of molding machines employed may vary asdesired.

The molding machines intermittently eject into the trough 9 tapered cupshaving their larger ends open and their smaller ends closed. The troughdirects the cups downwardly to the inner edges of the belts 4. The inneredges of the belts 4 are spaced apart a distance equal to the externaldiameter of the cups at a zone somewhat below their open larger ends.The cups tend to assume upright position supported by the inner edges ofthe belts 4 with the lower portions of the cups extending -downwardlybetween the belts as shown in FIGURE 7. Since the belts are movingtoward the right viewing FIGURES 1, 2 and 4 the cups are carried by thebelts in that direction.

The cups 11 ejected from the molding machines 10 are delivered to thetrough 9 in helter skelter fashion and not all of them initially assumeupright position between the inner edges of the belts 4. Some of thecups may lie crosswise of the conveyor or be inverted. Some of them maytend to hang u in the trough out of contact with the conveyor. To insurethat all of the cups will assume upright orientation between the inneredges of the belts 4 as shown in FIGURE 7 I provide blowers 12 atopposite sides of the trough blowing air blasts generally along thetrough from right to left viewing FIGURES 1, 2 and 4 or in the directionopposite the direction of advance f the belts. The blowers 12 aredirected generally along the respective inner walls of the trough andsomewhat downwardly so that they blow toward the left viewing FIG- URES1, 2 and 4 cups which have not become properly oriented between theedges of the belts. Due to the light weight of the cups those which havenot settled in upright position between the edges of the belts are blownback a substantial distance along the conveyor and hence are in a senserecycled giving them an opportunity to settle down in proper uprightposition between the belts. Any cups which do not do so are again blownback in the direction opposite the direction of advance of the conveyor.The result is that by the time the cups approach the right hand end ofthe conveyor shown in FIGURE 2 they should all be properly oriented inupright position between the edges of the belts 4 of the conveyor 2.

In FIGURES 2 and 8 is shown a cup removing station designated generallyby the letter A at which the cups 11 are removed from the conveyor. Iprovide an elevating conveyor 13 in the form of an endless belt whosewidth is slightly less than the distance between the inner edges of thebelts 4 of the coveyor 2 and which is driven by the same pulley 5 whichdrives the conveyor 2. The upper active reach of the belt 13 is inclinedto the horizontal from its left hand end toward the right viewing FIGURE2 until it attains the level of the belts 4 at a point closelyapproaching the cup removing station A at which time the belt 13 becomescoplanar with the belts 4. The upper active reach of the belt 13 ridesupon a support 14 which is shaped to cause the upwardly inclinedmovement of the belt 13 until it reaches the level of the belts 4 andthereafter generally horizontal movement of the belt 13 in coplanarrelationship with the belts 4. Since the belts 4- and 13 are driven bythe same pulley they in effect constitute a single coplanar conveyorwhen they reach the cup removing station A.

As clearly illustrated in FIGURE 2, the elevating conveyor 13 engagesthe bottoms of the cups 11 as they advance toward the right between theinner edges of the belts 4 and elevates the cups until their bottoms arecoplanar with the upper surface of the belts 4. This has the advantageof freeing the cups from any frictional drag imposed by engagementtherewith of the inner edges of the belts 4 and also presenting the cupsat the proper level for their removal at the cup removing station A.Normally the cups will arrive at the station A singly although uponoccasion a number of cups may be nested. Nested cups not exceeding threemay be removed normally at the station A. A greater number of nestedcups causes a jam at the station A. A jam may also be caused by cupsotherwise improperly fed to the station A. To clear away a jam of cupsat the station A I provide a light source 15 directed across the beltsand slightly thereabove at the station A. The position of a cup atstation A is indicated at A in FIGURE 4. The light source 15 normallyshines on a photoelectric cell 16. A nozzle 17 connected through aflexible conduit 18 and a valve (not shown) with a source of compressedair is aimed across the belts at a level slightly above the uppersurface of the belts. When a jam of cups occurs at the station A thelight beam is interrupted. Momentary interruption of the light beamwhich occurs during normal operation will have no elfect. When the lightbeam is interrupted for a predetermined period, as, for example, twoseconds, the interruption acts through any suitable time delay means toopen the valve to cause an air blast to issue from the nozzle 17 andblow across the belts at the station A and blow away any cups jammed atthat station.

I provide a return conveyor 19 in the form of an endless bel-t trainedabout a driving pulley 20 and an idler pulley 21, the pulley 20 beingdriven by any suitable source of power such as an electric motor 22 andsuitable reduction gearing 23. The pulley 21 is carried by a shaft 24mounted for adjustment by means 25 to insure keeping the belt taut. Atrough 26 extends from the end of the conveyor 2 to the belt 19 and atrough 27 extends from the belt 19 back into the trough 9. Any cupspassing the station A will be delivered by the trough 26 to the belt 19and also any jammed cups blown away from the station A by an air blastthrough the nozzle 17 will reach 6 the belt 19. All cups on the belt 19will be delivered by the trough 27 to the trough 9 at a point to theleft of the blowers 12 whereby the cups will be recycled in the mannerabove described.

The cups are sucked up at the station A through a tube 28 of generally Ushape as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. The lower end of the entry leg of thetube 28 is shown to enlarged scale in FIGURE 8. Fastened thereto byscrews 29 is a ring 30 having passage means 31 inclined upwardly andinwardly for blasting air into the bottom of the tube 28. The passagemeans 31 lead from an annular manifold 32 to which air under pressure isdelivered through a conduit 33. A sleeve 34 having an internally flaringmouth 35 completes the structure at the lower end of the tube 28 andcooperates with the ring 30 to form the annular manifold 32. Theupwardly and inwardly inclined passage means 31 for blasting air intothe lower end of the tube 28 may be a continuous annular passage or aseries of bored passages communicating with the annular manifold 32. Ineither case an upward suction is created which draws cups at the stationA upwardly into and through the tube 28. A booster nozzle 36 may beprovided for applying further suction as desired.

The tube 28 is, as above stated, of generally U shape so that the cupssucked up thereby move in a U-shaped path in which their orientation issubstantially reversed. As the cups move upwardly along the entry leg ofthe U-shaped path their larger open ends are disposed upwardly while inthe return leg of such path the larger open ends of the cups aredisposed downwardly. The cups enter a magazine 37 where they are stackedor nested. The stack of inverted cups moves downwardly to a feeder 38presently to be described which feeds the cups one by one from the stackto testing mechanism shown in FIGURE 3. The feeder 38 operates mostefliciently when a stack of cups having a height Within predeterminedlimits is presented thereto. I provide three electric eye controls 39,40 and 41 which insure maintenance of the stack of inverted cups withinpredetermined limits. When the top of the stack rises to the level ofthe control 39 the motor 6a driving the conveyors 2 and 13 is stopped.When the top of the stack falls below the control 39 the motor 6arestarts. When the top of the stack drops below the control 41 thefeeder stops feeding cups. When the top of the stack after havingdropped below the control 41 and after having risen above that controlrises to the control 40 the feeder resumes taking cups from the bottomof the stack. The manner in which this is accomplished will presently bedescribed.

The feeder 38 is shown in detail in FIGURES 9, 10 and 11. It comprises abase member 42 carried by the mounting structure having therethrough anopening 43 through which the cups are fed. The base member 42 carriesuniformly spaced about the opening 43 generally upright spindles 44 eachhaving a sleeve 44a rotatable thereon and having integral therewith alower flange 47 extending throughout a portion of its periphery.Disposed about each sleeve 44a is a collar 46 having integral therewithan upper flange 48 extending throughout a portion of itsperiphery.'Above each collar 46 is a sprocket 45, and a nut 45a isthreaded onto the upper end of sleeve 44a and maintains the assembly ofthe sleeve 44a with its lower flange 47, the collar 46 with its upperflange 48 and the sprocket 45. A sprocket chain drive as shown in FIGURE9 and which in turn is driven by means presently to be described rotatesthe collars 46 in unison.

The flanges 47 and 48 are so designed that upon each cycle of the feederthe bottom cup of the stack of cups moving downwardly through themagazine 37 is first temporarily supported by the flanges 48 and as thecollars rotate the flanges 48 move out of the path of the cup and allowthe bottom cup to drop to be supported upon the flanges 47. The flanges48 again become operative to support the next cup and after an intervalthe lowermost cup is released by movement of the flanges 47 out of itspath so that the cup moves downwardly to a cup receiving member shown inFIGURE 10 as in the form of a mandrel 73.

The base member 42 carries four posts 50 extending generally upwardlyand serving as confining guides for the stack of inverted cups. Theposts 50 have bores therethrough for air blasts. Two opposed posts havegenerally upwardly inclined bores 51. The other tWo opposed posts havegenerally downwardly inclined bores 52. Conduits 53 extend to all of thebores from a source of compressed air with suitable valving. The primaryfunction of the air blasts through the bores 51 and 52 is to assist inseparation of the bottom cup of the stack of inverted cups from the cupnext above. The upwardly inclined bores 51 direct their air blastsagainst the bottom rim of the cup which is next above the cup at thebottom of the stack while the downwardly inclined bores 52 direct theirblasts against the outer surface of the lowermost cup near the largeropen end thereof, the combined effect of the air blasts through thebores 51 and 52 being to assist in separating the bottommost cup fromthe cup next above it in the stack. However the blasts through the bores51 have a secondary function. When the top of the stack descends belowthe control 41 the magnitude of the blasts through the bores 51 isincreased through suitable control means so that the augmented blaststhrough the bores 51 hold up the stack interrupting the taking of cupsfrom the bottom of the stack by the feeder 38. When the top of the stackrises to the control 40 the blasts through the bores 51 return to normaland feeding of cups is resumed.

Mounted for rotation in the supporting structure is a shaft 54 having asprocket 55 fixed thereto at one end and a sprocket 56 fixed thereto atthe opposite end. An electric motor 57 acting through reduction gearing58 and a driving sprocket 59 drives the shaft 54 through the sprocket 55by a sprocket chain 60. Another sprocket chain 61 meshes with thesprocket 56 and with a sprocket 62 carried by a shaft 63 which throughbevel gearing drives a shaft 64 carrying a sprocket 65. A sprocket chain66 meshes with the sprocket 65 and a sprocket 67 integral with one ofthe sprockets 45 (see FIGURE 10) whereby to drive the feeder 38. Asprocket chain 67a is trained about and meshes with the four sprockets45. The sprocket chain 67a is maintained taut by an adjustable tightenersprocket 67b. Keyed to the shaft 54 is a disc 68 carrying at itsperiphery a circumeferential series of laterally projecting arms 69.Each arm 69 has a bore 69a receiving a hollow stem 70 fixed in a placeby a set screw 70a, the hollow stem 70 extending radially outwardly inrelation to the axis of the shaft 54 and having a bore 71 therethroughand a flange 72 at its outer end. A mandrel designated generally byreference numeral 73 is carried by each stem 70, each mandrel 73 havinga bore 73a receiving the hollow stem 70 and being maintained in place bybeing pressed against the flange 72 by a nut 74 threaded onto the stem.Each mandrel 73 has a wooden portion 75 and a portion 76 of Teflon. Thesurface of the portion 75 and the surface of part of the portion 76 arecontinuously conical as shown in FIG- URE 12 while the extreme part ofthe portion 76 at the larger end of the mandrel is angularly offset toprovide an outwardly facing annular conical surface 76a for sealingwithin one of the cups 11. A weight 77 of brass or other heavy materialis slidably applied to each stem 70 and has a diameter somewhat greaterthan the diameter of the lip of the cup 11. As the shaft 54 carrying thedisc 68, which in turn carries the mandrels 73, rotates the mandrelssuccessively move into position to receive cups fed thereto one by oneby the feeder 38, the parts being timed so that a cup is fed to eachmandrel as the mandrel moves into position below the feeder to receivethe cup.

Fixedly mounted upon a bracket 78 is a disc 79 through which the shaft54 passes as shown in FIGURES 16 and 18. A bushing 80 is interposedbetween the disc 79 and the shaft 54. At one face of the disc 79 (theface which is directly viewed in FIGURE 17 and which is toward the rightand obscured from view in FIGURE 16) is an arcuate slot 81 with a bore82 communicating with the arcuate slot and extending through the disc tothe opposite face of the disc. Also extending through the disc 79 aretwo other bores 83 and 84 respectively. Separate suction lines 85 and85a from a suitable vacuum pump extend to the bores 82 and 83respectively. A pressure line 86 from a suitable air compressor extendsto the bore 84.

Keyed to the shaft 54 is a circular member 87 having in the face thereofwhich is disposed toward the disc 79 an annular channel 88. Bores 89arranged in a circle about the axis of the circular member 87 andequally spaced are formed through the member 87 and intersect theannular channel 88. An intermediate annular member 91 is disposedbetween the disc 79 and the member 87 as shown in FIGURE 18. Theintermediate member 91 has an annular series of projections 92 eachhaving a bore 92a therethrough, each projection 92 extending through oneof the bores 89 of the member 87 as shown in FIGURE 18. A flexibleconduit extends from each bore 92a to one of the hollow stems 70, twentysuch hollow stems each with a mandrel 73 thereon being shown.

Compression coil springs 93 are seated in sockets 94 in the member 87and in sockets 95 in the intermediate member 91 and press theintermediate member 91 toward the disc 79. The engaging faces 96 of thedisc 79 and 97 of the intermediate member 91 are machined smooth so thatthe bores 92a are closed by the disc 79 except when they are oppositeeither the arcuate slot 81 or the bore 83 or the bore 84. When forexample the arcuate slot 81 is opposite bores 92a in the intermediatemember 91 sucnon is drawn from the spaces between the mandrels incommunicating with the arcuate slot 81 through conduits 90 and the cups11 thereon. As shown in FIGURES 12 and 13 the mandrels are designed toprovide substantial space 98 between each mandrel and the cup thereon.The arcuate slot 81 causes suction to be drawn through three mandrelssimultaneously to seat the cups firmly on the mandrels. Thereafter thesuction is momentarily broken and then suction for testing is drawnthrough each mandrel individually. A screen 99 is provided over theoutlet of the bore 71 of each stem 70 to inhibit drawing therethroughany unformed beads which may be present. When a bore 92a is opposite thebore 84 a blast of air under pressure is delivered through thecorresponding mandrel to eject the cup therefrom.

As each cup is fed by the feeder 38 onto a mandrel 73 suction is drawnthrough the mandrel to firmly seat the cup on the mandrel. By reason ofthe provision of the arcuate slot 81 seating suction is applied througheach mandrel throughout an are such that cups are being seated on threemandrels simultaneously thereby. Seating of the cups on the mandrels isassisted by an arm of Teflon hinged to the base member 42 and bearing bygravity on the bottoms of the inverted cups. Thereafter, as abovementioned, the suction is momentarily shut off and testing suction isapplied through the bore 83. That suction is maintained as the disc 68rotates. The suction is maintained through the fact that the bores 92aafter passing the bore 83 are sealed by the face 96 of the disc 79. Themandrels successively move about the axis of the shaft 54 graduallychanging orientation to a position in which the cups are below themandrels and tend to fall off by gravity. A cup which is free from leakswill remain on its mandrel because the suction will be maintained. Thesuction will be destroyed in a cup having a leak. That cup should dropoff of the mandrel by gravity. However if there is a tendency for a cuphaving a leak to stick on its mandrel the cup will be separated from themandrel by the Weight 77. As shown in FIGURE 3, as the axes of themandrels pass horizontal position the weights 77 slide toward the cupsand bear on the lips of the cups. The weights are designed to exert onthe cups a pressure somewhat less than the suction which holds cups freefrom leaks on the mandrels. Thus a cup which is free from leaks willremain on its mandrel with the weight 77 bearing against its lip but acup having a leak in which the suction has been broken will be forced011 of the mandrel by the weight 77. Cups having leaks fall into a chute100 and move down through the chute onto a scrap conveyor 101 whencethey are delivered to scrap.

Cups which are free from leaks remain on their mandrels until eachthereof is in position with its axis substantially horizontal at theright hand side of the disc 68 viewing FIGURE 3. At that time the bore92a corresponding to a cup whose axis is substantially horizontal comesinto line with the bore 84 and the cup is blown 011 of the mandreltoward the right viewing FIGURE 3.

The cups free from leaks which are blown off of the mandrels toward theright viewing FIGURE 3 are received within a tube 102. At the mouth ofthe tube 102, i.e., the left hand end viewing FIGURE 20, nozzles 103direct air blasts into the tube to supplement the air blast ejecting thecup from the mandrel and insuring movement of the cup toward the rightin the tube 102. The cups pass through the tube 102, the first cup beinghalted by a retractable stop 104. Succeeding cups nest with the cupagainst the stop 104. The cups are counted by a counter 105, and when apredetermined number of cups have passed the counter 105 the counteractuates means for segregating or separating the predetermined number ofcups for delivery as a group in relative arrangement for packaging.

A generally L-shaped lever 106 is pivoted at 107 to a bracket 108carried by a band 109 disposed about the tube 102. The lever 106 in turncarries a bracket 110 carrying an adjustable counterweight 111. Thebracket 110 has a downwardly projecting heel 112 and the lever 106 has adownwardly projecting stop member 113. Mounted on the band 109 is acylinder 114 in which operates a piston 115 whose piston rod 116 bearsagainst the heel 112 of the bracket 110 which is to all intents andpurposes integral with the lever 106. Normally the piston 115 is at theright hand end of the cylinder 114 viewing FIGURE 19 which raises thelever 106 to inoperative position as shown in solid lines in thatfigure. When the counter 105 has counted a predetermined number of cupsthe counter operates means causing the piston 115 to be moved to theleft hand end of the cylinder 114 viewing FIGURE 19 and the lever 106moves by gravity down to its operative position as shown in chain linesin FIGURE 19. The down-turned end portion 106a of the lever 106 entersthe tube 102 through a slot 117 so that it is interposed in the path ofcups moving from left to right in the tube. Thus any cups reaching theportion 106a of the lever 106 extending down into the tube 102 arestopped thereby.

Meanwhile the predetermined number of cups counted by the counter 105are nested and disposed against the stop 104. At approximately the sametime as the lever 106 moves down to operative position a piston 118 in acylinder 119 carried by a bracket 120 mounted on the end of the tube 102is moved upwardly in the cylinder 119, the piston rod 121 through itspivotal connection 122 with the retractable stop 104 raising that stopto retracted or inoperative position and thus opening the end of thetube 102. Air under pressure is admitted to a bore 106b in thedownwardly extending portion 106a of the lever 106 through a conduit123, the compressed air emerging as a blast through the outlet 124. Whenthe end of the tube 102 has been opened by raising of the retractablestop 104 the air blast through the outlet 124 blows the counted group ofnested cups out of the end of the tube 102 to fall upon a conveyor 125or be otherwise handled for packaging and shipping.

As soon as the counted group of nested cups has been ejected from theend of the tube 102 the stop 104 is returned to operative position andthe lever 106 is raised to its inoperative position and whatever cupswere seated against the portion 106a of lever 106 While that lever wasin operative position are released and are blown to the right by theblasts from the nozzles 103 until they lodge against the stop 104. Cupscontinue to be nested with the cups lodged against the stop 104 untilthe predetermined number of cups has passed the counter when the cycleas above described is repeated.

FIGURES 22-25 show a modified structure in which a tube 102a used inplace of the tube 102 above described has its end permanently closed at104a as shown in FIG- URE 22. In this case the counted group of nestedcups may be discharged transversely, and as shown downwardly, by openinga portion of the tube 102a. A portion 126 of the tube 102a is pivoted tothe body of the tube at 127 and is movable between closed position asshown in FIGURES 22 and 24 and open position as shown in FIGURE 25.Connected with the portion 126 of the tube is a stop member 128 arrangedso that when the portion 126 is in its lowered position to open the tubethe stop member 128 extends across the tube to stop cups from enteringthe tube. The portion 126 is moved between open position as shown inFIGURE 25 and closed position as shown in FIGURES 22 and 24 by a pistonin a cylinder 129 having a piston rod 130 pivoted at 131 to a bracket132 integral with the portion 126. The cylinder 129 is pivoted to thebody of the tube 102a at 129a.

The counter 105 will be used with the structure of FIGURES 22-25. When apredetermined number of cups has passed the counter and lodged againstthe end 104a of the tube 102a the portion 126 of the tube 102a will belowered to open position and the stop 128 disposed across the tube tostop oncoming cups. The counted group of nested cups in the tube 102adrops out by gravity whereupon the tube is again closed and the stop 128moved out to inoperative position as shown in FIGURE 24 and any cupswhich accumulated against the stop 128 while the tube was open areadvanced to the end 104a by the blasts through the nozzles 103.

FIGURE 14 shows a modified form of mandrel which includes a radiallyextending portion 133 carrying an annulus 134 of rubber-like or plasticmaterial against which the lip of the cup 11 may be sealed instead ofsealing the cup to the outer surface of the mandrel as in FIGURE 12.

FIGURE 15 shows a cup receiving member 135 used in place of a mandrelreceiving a cup 11 in upright instead of inverted position. The member135 has a cup receiving cavity 136 and an inwardly projecting annularsealing member 137 at its mouth for sealing against the outer surface ofthe cup near the lip of the cup as shown in FIGURE 15. The air in thespace 138 between the receiving member 135 and the cup 11 may beexhausted through the passage 139.

Either of the cup receiving members shown in FIG- URES l4 and 15 may besubstituted for that shown in FIGURE 12 although if the cup receivingmember of FIGURE 15 is used the means for feeding the cups will have tobe modified.

Thus I have provided mechanism for handling and testing containers whichis fully automatic and accomplishes the handling and testing of thecontainers at high speed and with great efficiency. Containers havingleaks are effectively eliminated and containers free from leaks areassembled or nested in groups of predetermined number ready forpackaging and shipping.

While I have shown and described certain present preferred embodimentsof the invention it is to be distinctl} understood that the invention isnot limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied.

I claim:

1. Vacuum testing mechanism for containers open at one end and closed atthe other end comprising a testing element having a container receivingmember to which a container being tested is applied, means for advancingin a predetermined path the container receiving member with a containerapplied thereto, the container receiving member being shaped to providespace between it and the container, means for exhausting air from thespace between the container receiving member and the container to causethe container to remain applied to the container receiving member byvacuum if the container is free from leaks, means for disconnecting theexhausting means from said space and means acting only after thecontainer receiving member with a container applied thereto has advanceda predetermined distance along said path and after the exhausting meanshas been disconnected from said space for applying a counterforce ofsufficient magnitude to separate the container from the containerreceiving member if the container has a leak.

2. Vacuum testing mechanism for containers open at one end and closed atthe other end comprising a testing element having a container receivingmember bodily movable in a closed path in a generally vertical planewith the axis of the container receiving member in said generallyvertical plane and with one end of said member always disposed towardthe outside of said closed path, means for applying a container to thecontainer receiving member by generally downward movement of thecontainer when the container receiving member is disposed at the upperhalf of said closed path with a portion of the container at or near theopen end of the container sealed to the container receiving member, thecontainer receiving member being shaped to provide space between it andthe container, means for exhausting air from the space between thecontainer receiving member and the container to cause the container toremain applied to the container receiving member by vacuum if thecontainer is free from leaks, means for maintaining the vacuum as thecontainer receiving members is bodily moved to the lower half of saidclosed path so that the vacuum will be broken and the container willdrop from the container receiving member if the container has a leak butthe container will remain applied to the container receiving member ifthe container is free from leaks, a horizontal guideway and means forsubsequently separating the container generally horizontally from thecontainer receiving member if the container is free from leaks andmoving the container along the guideway.

3. Vacuum testing mechanism as claimed in claim 2 including meansexerting no force on the container when the container is first appliedto the container receiving member but which as the container receivingmember is bodily moved in said closed path acts upon the containertending to move the container out of applied relationship to thecontainer receiving member to obviate a container having a leakremaining applied to the container I receiving member.

4. Vacuum testing mechanism as claimed in claim 3 in which the etfect ofsaid means on the container is less than the effect of the vacuumtending to maintain the container applied to the container receivingmember.

5. Vacuum testing mechanism as claimed in claim 2 in which the lastmentioned means comprise an air blast removing the container from thecontainer receiving member.

6. Vacuum testing mechanism for containers open at one end and closed atthe other end comprising a series of testing elements each having acontainer receiving member bodily movable in a closed path in agenerally vertical plane with the axes of the container receivingmembers in said generally vertical plane and with one end of each ofsaid members always disposed toward the outside of said closed path,means for applying containers successively to the container receivingmembers by generally downward movement of the containers when therespective container receiving members are disposed at the upper half ofsaid closed path with a portion of each container at or near the openend of the container sealed to the corresponding container receivingmember, each container receiving member being shaped to provide spacebetween it and the corresponding container, means for exhausting airfrom the spaces between the container receiving members and thecontainers respectively applied thereto to cause the containers toremain applied to the respective container receiving members by vacuumit the containers are free from leaks, means for maintaining the vacuumas each container receiving member is bodily moved to the lower half ofsaid closed path so that the vacuum will be broken and the containerwill drop from the container receiving member if the container has aleak but the container will remain applied to the container receivingmember if the container is free from leaks, a horizontal guideway andmeans for subsequently separating generally horizontally containerswhich are free from leaks from the respective container receivingmembers and moving the containers along the guideway.

7. Vacuum testing mechanism for containers open at one end and closed atthe other end comprising a testing element having a container receivingmember bodily movable in a closed path in a generally vertical planewith the axis of the container receiving member in said generallyvertical plane and with one end of said member always disposed towardthe outside of said closed path, means for applying a container to thecontainer receiving member by generally downward movement of thecontainer when the container receiving member is disposed at the upperhalf of said closed path with a portion of the container at or near theopen end of the container sealed to the container receiving member, thecontainer receiving member being shaped to provide space between it andthe container, means for exhausting air from the space between thecontainer receiving member and the container to cause the container toremain applied to the container receiving member by vacuum if thecontainer is free from leaks, means for maintaining the vacuum as thecontainer receiving member is bodily moved to the lower half of saidclosed path so that the vacuum will be broken and the container willdrop from the container receiving member if the container has a leak butthe container will remain applied to the container receiving member ifthe container is free from leaks and means for subsequently removing thecontainer generally horizontally from the container receiving member ifthe container is free from leaks, the mechanism including a gravityactuated arm bearing against the container after the container has beenapplied to the container receiving member to assist in sealing thecontainer to the container receiving member.

8. Vacuum testing mechanism for containers open at one end and closed atthe other end comprising a testing element having a container receivingmember bodily movable in a closed path in a generally vertical planewith the axis of the container receiving member in said generallyvertical plane and with one end of said member always disposed towardthe outside of said closed path, means for applying a container to thecontainer receiving member by generally downward movement of thecontainer when the container receiving member is disposed at the upperhalf of said closed path with a portion of the container at or near theopen end of the container sealed to the container receiving member, thecontainer receiving member being shaped to provide space between it andthe container, means for exhausting air from the space between thecontainer receiving member and the container to cause the container toremain applied to the container receiving member by vacuum if thecontainer is free from leaks, means for maintaining the vacuum as thecontainer receiving member is bodily moved to the lower half of saidclosed path so that the vacuum will be broken and the container willdrop from the container receiving member if the container has a leak butthe container will remain applied to the container receiving member ifthe container is free from leaks and means for subsequently removing thecontainer generally horizontally from the container receiving member ifthe containeris free from leaks, the mechanism including means exertingno force on the container when the container is first applied to thecontainer receiving member but which as the container receiving memberis bodily moved in said closed path acts upon the container tending tomove the container out of applied relationship to the containerreceiving member to obviate a container having a leak remaining appliedto the container receiving member in which said means exerting no forceon the container when the container is first applied to the containerreceiving member but which as the container receiving member is bodilymoved in said closed path acts upon the container tending to move thecontainer out of applied relationhip to the container receiving memberto obviate a container having a leak remaining applied to the containerreceiving member or a weight bearing upon the container tending to pushthe container out of applied relationship to the container receivingmember.

9. Vacuum testing mechanism for containers open at one end and closed atthe other end comprising a testing element having a container receivingmember bodily movable in a closed path in a generally vertical planewith the axis of the container receiving member in said generallyvertical plane and with one end of said member always disposed towardthe outside of said closed path, means for applying a container to thecontainer receiving member by generally downward movement of thecontainer when the container receiving member is disposed at the upperhalf of said closed path with a portion of the container at or near theopen end of the container sealed to the container receiving member, thecontainer receiving member being shaped to provide space between it andthe container, means for exhausting air from the space between thecontainer receiving member and the container to cause the container toremain applied to the container receiving member by vacuum if thecontainer is free from leaks, means for maintaining the vacuum as thecontainer receiving member is bodily moved to the lower half of saidclosed path so that the vacuum will be broken and the container willdrop from the container receiving member if the container has a leak,but the container will remain applied to the container receiving memberif the container is free from leaks and means for subsequently removingthe container generally horizontally from the container receiving memberif the container is free from leaks, the mechanism having means forrendering operative the means for exhausting air from the space betweenthe container receiving member and the container over a portion of thepath of movement of the container receiving member to seat the containeron the container receiving member, means for interrupting theoperativeness of said means and means for again rendering said meansoperative to produce testing vacuum in the space between the containerreceiving member and the container.

10. Vacuum testing mechanism for containers open at one end and closedat the other end comprising a series of testing elements each having acontainer receiving member bodily movable in a closed path in agenerally vertical plane with the axes of the container receivingmembers in said generally vertical plane and with one end of each ofsaid members always disposed toward the outside of said closed path,means for applying containers successively to the container receivingmembers by generally downward movement of the containers when therespective container receiving members are disposed at the upper half ofsaid closed path with a portion of each container at or near the openend of the container sealed to the corresponding container receivingmember, each container receiving member being shaped to provide spacebetween it and the corresponding container, means for exhausting airfrom the spaces between the container receiving members and thecontainers respectively applied thereto to cause the containers toremain applied to the respective container receiving members by vacuumif the containers are free from leaks, means for maintaining the vacuumas each container receiving member is bodily moved to the lower half ofsaid closed path so that the vacuum will be broken and the containerwill drop from the container receiving member if the container has aleak but the container will remain applied to the container receivingmember if the container is free from leaks and means for subsequentlyremoving generally horizontally containers which are free from leaksfrom the respective container receiving members, the mechanism havingmeans for rendering operative the means for exhausting air from thespaces between the container receiving members and the containersresponsively applied thereto over a portion of the path of movement ofthe container receiving members such that air is thereby exhausted froma plurality of such spaces to seat the containers on the respectivecontainer receiving members, means for interrupting the operativeness ofsaid means and means for rendering said means operative to producetesting vacuum individually in the space between each containerreceiving member and the corresponding container and means formaintaining the testing vacuum if the container is free from leaks untilshortly before the container is removed from the corresponding containerreceiving member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 498,408 5/1893 Roth 73-453522,107 6/1894 Clot 73-453 1,640,242 8/1927 Kronquest 73-453 2,020,53511/1935 Cameron 73-452 2,278,804 4/ 1942 tuart 73-453 2,548,645 4/1951Ashcroft et a1. 73-453 3,015,388 1/1962 Wilc-kens 73-453 XR 3,302,4492/1967 Roberts 73-40.7 3,307,390 3/1967 Behrens et al 73-452 3,360,9831/1968 Smith 73-453 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,175,461 8/1964 Germany.

LOUIS R. PRINCE, Primary Examiner JEFFREY NOLTON, Assistant ExaminerU.S. Cl. X.R. 73-492; 209-74 @2 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 4 2 99 Dated A g st 26 1969Inventor(s) ALAN I W FRANK It is certified that error appears in theabove-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as shown below:

Column 3, line 37, after "obviate" insert --sticking--. Column 7, line48, before "place" cancel "a". Column ll, line 38, "members" should be--member-. Column 13, line 21, "or" should be are-. Column 14, line 30,"responsively" should be -respectively.

.I'L An'h-L Ali SEALED (SEAL) Attcst:

Edward M. Fletcher, Ir. WIL E. 50mm, m.

Attesfing Officer Oomissioner of Patents

